raymond



No Model.)

S. H. RAYMOND.

' VEHICLE SPRING.

No. 436,504. Patented Sept. 16, 1890.

, UNirnn ,STATES PATENT OFFICE...

SILAS H. RAYMOND, OF GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR TO ALFRED OUTLER, OF SAME PLACE.

VEHICLE-SPRING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 436,504, dated September'l, 1890.

Application filed July 22,1890. Serial No. 359,564. (No model.)

To all whom t may concern.-

Beit known that I, SILAs H. RAYMOND, a citizen of the United States, residing at the city of Grand Rapids, in the county of Kent and State of Michigan, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Vehicle- Springs, of which the following is a specification.

Reference is hereby made to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, which form part of this specification.

Figure l is a bottom plan view' of my improved vehicle-spring attached to a body. Fig. 2 is a sectional view, and Fig. 3 an end view, thereof.

This invention is an improvement in vehicle-springs, its objects being to produce a simple, strong, and durable spring-support for the body on the running-gear, whereby the weight of the body will be evenly distributed and the movement of the body will be even and the rocking or tilting of the body overcome, excepting a very slight side motion necessary to relieve the stiffness and j oltin g, while it Will be supported with sufficient elasticity to make it ride easily.

To these ends the invention consists in'the construction, arrangement, and combination of springs, rock-bars, shackles, and hangers or arms, as will be hereinafter fully described and claimed.

Referring to the drawings, dac., A designates the vehicle-body, and a a designate side bars, which are adapted to be secured to the running-gear, as usual, and which are connected to the springsupport of the body, as hereinafter described.

B B designate springs running transversely of the body, each suitably attached thereto near the opposite sides thereof on the bottom, about midway between the two ends of the body, by one end of said springs, respectively, then, passing by each other, are rigidly attached to the two torsionfvrods near the centers thereof, each of said springs being attached to the torsion-rod farthest away from its point of attachment to the body A, said springs having a downward bow near the ends which attach to the body A to allow each to operate clear of the torsionrod to which it is not attached and under which it swings.

VE E designate rods, called torsion-rods, below and parallel with the body and secured near the opposite sides thereof by hangers ff,

that are attached to the bottom of the body. The rods E E can rotate, but notI move longitudinally, and being rigidly attached to the springs B B on one side and rigidly attached to the outward-extending arms g g on the other the torsion of the rods E E, caused by weight on the body, gives spring-power in connection with the springs B B, the elasticity of which relieves the torsional strain on the rods E E, making it ride easily.

J J are blocks secured to the bottom of the body near the point of attachment of the inner ends of springs B B to the rods E E to transfer the weight on the center of the body to the rods E E. It will be observed that the rods E E are connected indirectly through the springsB B by the attachment of their outer ends to the body, and after passing 4by each other are connected .by their inner ends to the rods E E, respectively, so that movement on one rod imparts a similar but opposite movement of the other rod and at theV same time tensions or relaxes the springs B B. Now, then, when the body is suspended, if a load be placed upon one side or corner thereof it will be borne down, thus causing a turning of the rock-shaft or rod E by means of the arms G G, the ends of which are attached suitably to the sidebar a; but as the rods E E are connected, as described, causing the similar but opposite movement of both rods E E, as described, the body will be evenly lowered throughout until the springs B B are tensioned sufficiently to prevent further turning of the rods E E, and thus equalize and sustain the load. In other words, whether the load be placed centrally of the body or not the' latter will be maintained in a horizontal position, and consequently when in motion, should there be a sudden jar by jolting, dac., the body will move easily in a vertical direction and evenly. It will have free up-anddown movement, with but a very slight; side or rocking motion necessary to relieve the rigidity and stiffness. The springs B B do not sustain the entire weight of the load, as

lthe hangers ff of the rods E E are secured direct to the body; but the springs B B are affected by the turning of either rod E E, and

the latter are only turned when the coincidence of 'the body with the plane of the vehicle side bars a a is disturbed. This construction gives all the advantage of torsional springs without particular torsional strain on the rodsE E, the twisting strain on the latter being relieved by the springs B B. A coilspring, with one end rigidly attached to the torsion-rod E, as above described, and the other end secured to the bottom of the body, may be used in place ot` each of the two springs B B.

Only four arms G and two springs B are shown in the drawings; but the number of these parts could be increased, it' desired.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is 1. The combination of the pair of rods attached to the body longitudinally thereof, having outwardly-projecting arms for attachment to the side bars of the vehicle and inwardlyextending springs running transversely of the body, said springs 'being rigidly attached by one end to the said bars near'the center of said bars, respectively, and 'after passing by each other connected tothe body near the opposite side thereof from the point of attachment to the rods in a suitable manner.

2. A spring-support for vehicle-bodies, oon- Sisting of a pair of parallel torsion-rods E E, secured to the body A longitudinally thereof by hangers f f and connected to the side-bars a a, by outwardly-projecting arms G G, with springs B B rigidly attached to the rods E E near the centers thereof, and after passing by each other securely attached to the bottom of thebody A near the opposite sides thereof, respectively, by their other ends, the rods E E resting against metal lugs or supports,

- extend inwardly, and after passing by each other are respectively attached to the bottom of the body vA near the opposite edges thereof, said springs having a downward bow near the ends which attach to thebody A suliicient to allow them to pass below and operate clear of the two torsion-rods E E, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

4. The combination of the body of the Vehicle A, to which are attached rodsl E E byhangers ff, the rods E E being connected with the side bars a a by arms G G, the rods EE being relieved by inwardly-extending springs, which are attached by one end to the vehiclebody A and by the other to the rods E E near the centers thereof, respectively, lby ya vrigid attachment, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand andr seal in the presence of two witnesses.

. SILAS H. RAYMOND. LL. s]

Witnesses: y

ALFRED O. CROZIER, E. B. CADWELL. 

